Use of wogonin as a cooperative drug with praziquantel to better combat schistosomiasis.

BACKGROUND: Schistosomiasis is one of the most devastating tropical diseases in the world. Currently, praziquantel (PZQ) represents the best pharmacological option for the treatment of schistosomiasis as it effectively kills the worm. However, the inability to reverse established liver damages often makes treatment futile. In the current study, we investigate whether combining the use of wogonin, a compound that was found to be liver-protective, with PZQ can attribute to the greatest beneficial effect in Schistosoma mansoni-infected mice. METHODS: To determine the protective effect of PZQ-wogonin treatment on S. manosni-infected mice, histopathological analysis was done to evaluate the granuloma size and fibrotic areas in the liver. Western blotting was performed to analyze several injuries-related markers including fibrotic markers, inflammasomes, and apoptotic markers. Scanning electron microscopy was done to evaluate the effect of wogonin on the worms, and the worm and egg burden was calculated. RESULTS: Our results showed that PZQ-wogonin treatment significantly improved liver histopathology of S. mansoni-infected mice. Further analysis showed that PZQ-wogonin combinations are more effective in reducing fibrosis, inflammation, and apoptosis in the liver than that of individual drug use. Furthermore, our results revealed that wogonin is anthelmintic; and it works better with PZQ in reducing hepatic egg burden, further lessen the disease progression. CONCLUSION: In general, this combinatorial strategy may represent a new and effective approach to schistosomiasis treatment.

An In-vivo Study into the Effects of Schisandrin B in the Liver, Spleen, Kidney, and Brain of Acute Thioacetamide-intoxicated Mice.

Currently, there are no effective treatments for liver diseases. Treatment usually involves controlling complications and supportive care. As liver injuries also affect other organs such as the spleen, kidney, and brain due to their anatomical and physiological relationships, finding an effective treatment is urgently needed. This research aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effect of Schisandrin B (Sch B) in the liver and other organs in thioacetamide (TAA)-intoxicated mice. In this study, mice were exposed to a single intraperitoneal injection of 200 mg/kg TAA to induce hepatitis. Following Sch B (20 mg/kg/day, 28 consecutive days) treatment, biochemistry analysis and histopathological examination of different organs were performed, in addition to western blotting and flow cytometry to evaluate the involvement of inflammasomes and apoptotic proteins. Our results showed that administration of Sch B protected against TAA-induced damages, and it disparately affected inflammasome activation and apoptosis in different organs. Furthermore, Sch B treatment improved organ function, as indicated by the improvement of serum biochemical parameters. Collectively, our findings reveal a beneficial effect of Sch B on different organ damages in mice intoxicated with TAA.